Consequences
by Greensword101
Summary: Sometimes, superheroes are just going to make mistakes or bad decisions...
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This isn't going to be some major project I'll be working on. Its just something to help me get through writing other pieces like **Big Hero Evangelion** or **Bad Idea** due to how hard it is to write them sometimes.

This is essentially one shots of shitty decisions made by DC Characters throughout the DC universe and potential consequences that follow. I got this idea from **The Days of Reckoning Are Upon Us** by **Anafandom** on Archive of Our Own regarding consequences following Captain America and the others (not a fan of the constant Steve bashing, to be honest, though).

Feel free to drop suggestions through PMs and reviews for any crappy moment in the DC universe you feel needs to be addressed, cause I know I haven't read them all.

Enjoy!

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1\. Bruce Wayne was eight years old when he lost his parents.

He could remember only that dreadful moment, the rest of the night lost in the wind.

Walking down an alley…Father talking about how people should be able to walk safely wherever they go. Mother gently telling Bruce to stop running ahead as the boy fenced with an imaginary foe, using his rolled-up playbill as an improvised sword.

Then the man appeared, holding up a gun.

Father got in front of Bruce fast and pulled him behind. Mother then pulled Bruce behind her. The man noticed her pearl necklace and demanded them. She didn't take them off fast enough to his liking and Bruce watched her fall to the sound of a thunderclap.

Father fell a moment later, too stunned to move, as the next thunderclap took him too.

Bruce could only watch as the puddles of red pooled together and stained his shoes.

* * *

"Mister Pennyworth, is there anything you can tell this court about why you should maintain guardianship of Bruce Wayne?"

"I've worked for his family for the past five years," Alfred answered with stiff mannerism, the upper crust of his English roots showing, "Master Bruce has thrived under my care and I would insist that he stay with people familiar with him."

The social worker did not look impressed and frowned, "Mister Pennyworth, I've been visiting Bruce every month to check on his progress and he is behaving in ways unnatural for a child his age."

Bruce looked on, his face neutral. The social worker had caught him scaling the walls of the Manor several times and had been completely terrified.

"He is working through the trauma to the best of his ability," Alfred replied in the same stiffness, but Bruce could see his face, for just a moment, waver and show doubt. He could hear the uncertainty in the butler's voice.

The social worker looked down at the clipboard in their hand and read out loud, "April 25th of this year, Bruce was taken to a clinic for a broken arm, result from scaling the _walls of the house with no supervision or protective gear._ "

Murmurs from the audience. The few words that Bruce could pick out were not pleasant: _Careless, negligent, poor guardian_.

They couldn't understand. Bruce didn't need anyone. Alfred might be his guardian, but he wasn't his father.

Apparently, to the social worker and Child Services, those two were supposed to go hand in hand. The social worker continued, pointing out that Bruce had not been taken to see a psychologist to help him with the trauma nor has the boy shown any signs of care for the butler.

In the eyes of the court, Alfred Pennyworth was deemed an unfit parent, despite his protests that he was just doing his job. When the court stated that there was more to parenting than just the physical care, the butler's stiffness broke and he sobbed loudly for his failure.

Bruce Wayne was nine years old when he was adopted by Jonathon and Martha Kent, no connection to Martha Wayne, his mother. Between their support, words, even warmth that Bruce had no idea he was missing, the pain subsided but never faded away. It helped that his foster brother, Clark, managed to be his support of sorts and pull him back to reality when neither of their parents were able to do so.

Bruce Kent was twenty-five years old when he returned to Gotham and joined the GCPD with Captain Gordon and the new hero in blue, the one that people claimed came from the stars. Together, along with Assistant DA Harvey Dent, they worked to make Gotham a better place to live.

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 **Author's Note:** It has been implied in _Dark Victory_ by Jeph Loeb (which I _adore_ ) that Alfred kept his distance from Bruce emotionally during his childhood despite being his legal guardian. So why didn't Child Services try to intervene _sooner_ in this situation before the problem got out of hand?!


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far! I really appreciate it.

 **Jamesmarquis** : I just said at the beginning that this was inspired by a Marvel fic. It doesn't mean I'm going to do Marvel. This fic is mainly focusing on idiotic decisions or things I thought should have gone differently in the DC comics. That being said, I'm not going to bash characters like **The Days of Reckoning** tends to do – the writer _really_ is getting heavy handed with so many scenarios involving Steve/Captain America being selfish, it's just getting a little annoying – and will try to be fair on them too. I'd like to be able to answer your questions easier if you have an account I could PM to.

 **GuardianXAngel** , would you be willing to post some examples in certain storylines? I'd love to handle a situation with Wonder Woman's diplomatic immunity with the right information.

 **Jettmanas** , you never cease to touch my heart with how often you pop in to comment. I need to return the favor. What did you mean by "suggestion", if you mind me asking?

This segment is from _Nightwing: Year One._

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2.

Dick wasn't sure why this was happening. He had explicitly told Bruce several times before _and_ after he got accepted to college that his time patrolling in Gotham would be limited.

Right now, he and Bruce were having a quote-unquote talk about Dick being late for another patrol with Bruce. Clayface was taken down in the end and the baby returned to their family, but Bruce still wasn't happy.

Sometimes, Dick wondered if Bruce was simply trying to find reasons to be mad at him now more than ever.

So, they were "talking" in the Batcave – Dick couldn't remember the last time that the word didn't mean Bruce did all the talking while he kept his mouth shut – and Alfred was nowhere in sight despite the promise of after-patrol snacks for the both of them.

" _I get it_ …" Dick repeated in desperation, "You need me in Gotham more…"

"This is a _war_ , Dick," Bruce didn't even look in his direction, "Robin is my second, my lieutenant. Anything less than _total_ devotion to this cause is simply _wasting_ my time."

 _Yeah right,_ Dick wanted to snort, _Does Superman pull this crap on you in Justice League meetings? What about the rest of the members? Do you expect me to_ drop out _of college_ and _the Titans to make you happy? When was the last time you ever thought about how much I'm getting through all of this with just sheer force of will? Who died and made you Atlas, cursed to carry the entire weight of the world over your shoulders? I'm helping people, too, you know!_

The new Robin uniform that Alfred had made for him hung over a chair nearby, almost forgotten in the heated argument. Meanwhile, the one who made the outfit was still nowhere in sight, the sole voice of reason that had any chance of getting through to Bruce at all.

It got to the point where Dick's blood nearly ran cold over two words. He couldn't believe what Bruce was telling him…

"Well, I'm telling you!" Bruce snarled at Dick, "You're _fired!_ _Now get out of my cave!"_

Dick looked disappointed, even frustrated as he began to walk off. This was what it had gotten to, Bruce would never be satisfied with what he got.

"Fine," Dick said calmly, keeping his temper under control as he picked up the new uniform, "If that's the way you want it. See you around."

"Dick," Bruce said quietly. Dick paused and looked back, seeing Bruce's gaze turning cold, "Leave the new uniform."

Dick's arms didn't sag, nor did the uniform drop to the ground like Bruce had expected to happen. Instead, he saw Dick, the boy he had trained since he was nine, look back at him with defiance. No, not defiance. The look actually made Bruce step back a few feet.

Dick was _pissed_.

"You know what?" Dick snapped, "No! Fuck that and fuck _you!_ If you want to fire me from being your partner, then go ahead! _Fire me because enough just isn't enough for you!_ But you _can't_ make me stop being Robin, you _ungrateful_ asshole! It's _my_ hero name, _not_ yours! You can't take it away from me like it's some car!"

He then turned his head and stormed out, calling out once more,

"And seriously?! _Waste of your time?! I'm a college student and you're telling me that not dropping that_ and _my friends in New York is a waste of time?!_ You need help, Bruce!"

Bruce continued to stare off into nothing, not remembering that he barred entrance to the Batcave from Alfred to have this chat with his former ward. He felt like he had just lost an argument for the first time.

Dick returned to New York and continued working with the Titans through graduation, refusing to answer Alfred's pleas to come back and talk it out with Bruce. Dick had made it clear to Alfred – and by extension, Bruce – that he had served under Batman since he was nine and if Bruce's way of repaying him for all those years of devotion, then it wasn't worth coming back.

Two years after graduation, Dick received a letter with a bat symbol on it that had only two words on it:

 _I'm sorry._

The next day, he had found out that Bruce had taken his advice to heart and started counseling. He was asking Dick if he wanted to attend a session with the therapist, Dinah Lance.

Dick said yes.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I had a hard time liking _Nightwing: Year One_ because it involved Bruce being an asshole throughout the story for no reason at all. One of the reasons I prefer the movies – minus _Batman vs. Superman_ – over the comics.

Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

3.

Harvey Bullock had just been called into Gordon's office shortly after clocking it. He managed to snag a donut from a rookie's desk on his way, no one being the wiser. When he caught Montoya's eye, he nodded her way in greeting, but was startled by the fierce glare she was giving him in response. Then her eyes went towards the donut that he was munching on and then back to him. It was almost as if she was saying 'If that donut isn't out of your hands in five seconds, there will be trouble.'

So he threw the donut out and wiped off the crumbs decorating his front. He straightened himself a little at the door to the Commissioner's office and began to turn the knob when he realized someone was staring at him. He turned his head and saw one of the older guys, O'Hara, looking at him with the same disapproval that Montoya had been giving him.

"There a problem?" Bullock asked gruffly.

"It depends," O'Hara crossed his arms, "Are ya gonna blow up half the city just to kill _one_ person again?"

"What, you mean Batman?" Barely a week ago, Bullock had rounded up plenty of officers with the support of Arthur Reeves to hunt Batman down for the murders of several mobster members now suspected to have ties with one another. He wasn't able to catch the vigilante, much to his aggravation.

"I think you might wanna continue the conversation with Gordon," O'Hara turned away now and began to walk back to his desk, "I think he wants to have a few words with ya on the matter."

Bullock snorted and opened the door, only becoming aware that he and Gordon weren't the only ones in the room a second too late. He didn't realize that the DA, Janet Dorn, would have been joining them in the meeting and felt as if he should have at least straightened his tie first.

"Bullock," Gordon said coldly. He gestured to the empty chair in front of him, "Have a seat."

Bullock complied, starting to wonder what had gotten under everyone's hair today.

Dorn then proceeded to lay down several pictures onto Gordon's desk, "Would you care to explain to us what these are supposed to be, Mister Bullock?"

Bullock peered at the images and his eyes widened at the sight. People being carted off into ambulances; the elderly, adults, even children as young as three, there was no discrimination.

"What's this?" He asked no one in particular.

" _This_ ," Dorn began, "is the aftermath of your manhunt of the Batman. No clearance for _any_ of the weapons or machinery. Destruction of public property. Life endangerment. And now we're looking at _manslaughter!_ "

"WHAT?!" Bullock rose to his feet, "But we were targeting Batman, we didn't bring the big guns until we had him cornered!"

"Meanwhile, your so-called SWAT team ended up hitting civilians by mistake _and_ you went over my head to accomplish this!" Gordon snapped, "Sit back down, Bullock! This is only the top of the iceberg!"

Bullock didn't comply, "So Bats kills several people and _I'm_ the one who's in trouble?!"

"We were getting to that!" Dorn shoved several more pictures into his face. Bullock looked at them and saw some guy wearing some kind of Grim Reaper-eske outfit fighting Batman. "The one who killed those mobsters? You're looking at him!"

"Wait," Bullock did a double take, "So your saying that –"

"Batman was innocent and you were trying to kill him for nothing," Gordon cut him off, "Sit down!"

This time, Bullock obeyed.

Then, he had to sit and listen to the DA and his boss chewing him out over his actions, telling him that he was suspended until further notice pending investigation and that all the men he had rallied would be facing similar consequences. His first date in court was pending and if he had any sense, then he would not pull anymore stunts.

When he walked out of the office, he was a gun and a badge lighter.

 **Author's Note:** It seemed strange that Bullock wasn't called out for his actions in _The Mask of the Phantasm_ since he was technically endangering lives with his stunt. I don't know if this is how it should have happened, please let me know in the comments, I'd appreciate it.

Review or PM for any prompts you think I should do next.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** I hate how I can't seem to write when I want to write…

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4\. From _Batman and Son_

Dick clenched his teeth as Alfred made another stitch. He looked like he swallowed a lemon, especially since there was now a new addition to their "family" that Bruce had neglected to tell him about until the brat tried to slice him up like a Christmas ham.

"Really ticks me off after all those lectures he gave me about using protection," he grumbled.

Alfred's face suddenly looked more agitated as he continued to stitch Dick's wounds,

"If I may, Master Richard," he said coolly, "But as I recall, Master Bruce _didn't_ have that option when Master Damian was conceived."

"You're telling me that he didn't care about what might have happened when he did it?" Dick rolled his eyes.

Alfred stopped and glared at the young man, "I am saying, _sir_ , was that Master Damian's mother drugged the Master and _raped_ him!"

Dick suddenly turned pale,

"What? Are you serious?!"

"I am surprised and disappointed in you for not asking for information like a proper detective ought to, Master Richard," Alfred went back to tending to Dick's wounds, but there wasn't much delicacy in the work as there was a few minutes ago, "Rather than inquire on the whole story, you decided to jump to your own bloody conclusions to make yourself feel better?"

"No," Dick looked uncomfortable, "I'm sorry, Alfred, I wasn't thinking –"

"Indeed," Alfred said curtly.

Another stitch was made and Dick yelped again.

Dick made a mental note to apologize to Bruce for thinking those false thoughts and to slug that bitch, Talia in the face when he saw her again. Hard.

5\. From Justice League (2001): The Enemy Below

Aquaman wasn't liking how the conference with the world leaders was going. They refused to accept his conditions for peace with Atlantis and were trying to throw him out of the conference room on top of that?! He was king! He was sovereign and his word was law! Why wouldn't these surface dwellers accept that?

"These are your final terms," He said coolly to the protesting leaders, "Refuse them at your own risk."

"But your demands are outrageous and would compromise our defenses!" The man to his left at the podium said meekly.

"Your problem, not mine," Aquaman said indifferently.

He was expecting more indignant cries, sheep without a herder. He wasn't, however, expecting the man at the podium to glower at him.

"On the contrary, _your Majesty_ , this _is_ your problem too."

At that moment, several police officers armed in heavy gear barged through the door. The man at the podium continued,

"You've attacked several civilians unprovoked, damaged a man's car, walked into traffic and nearly caused an accident and physically manhandled a police officer for no reason. You might be King where you're from, but you _haven't_ been granted diplomatic immunity. If you were smart enough to come here, you should have at _least_ gotten _that_ part straightened out beforehand."

One officer walked towards Aquman with handcuffs.

"You have the right to remain silent."

Aquaman bristled at this. He had come asking for peace and these surface dwellers make _him_ out to be the villain. He pushed the officer to the side, ignoring the frightened cries of the world leaders as the man collided with the wall. The rest of the officers charged him at once, now. Aquaman easily dodged and overpowered each man that came at him, hoping that this little spectacle would be enough of an example for the rest of the idiots to get the message.

But right as he finished off the last officer, the Justice League flew in. Wonder Woman flew up to him first, raising her hands in the air as a sign of peace. Pathetic weakness. He pushed her aside and quickly found himself surrounded by green aura.

He tried to fight it but was caught off guard by Superman entering the bubble and knocking him out.

Aquman woke up in a heavily guarded cell hours later with a dull headache and a sharply dressed woman looking at him coldly.

He ended up being charged with several cases of assault and battery (particularly against Wonder Woman, as she was a diplomat for Themyscira), vandalism, and murder in the second degree (he was told that he didn't handle the officers as gently as he thought he did, considering his own strength).

In the end, he was banished from the Surface World and the League made it clear that he would need a better representative for Atlantis that didn't choose violence as an initial response. Someone by the name of Kaldur'an was elected and he became Atlantis' ambassador a short time later.

When Aquaman returned to Atlantis after his trial and sentencing, he couldn't bear to look at his Mera, so full of anger and disappointed over his actions. What she said to him before taking their son and leaving still haunted him for many years afterwards.

"I expected you to set an example for our son and for our people. What kind of king acts like a bully to get his way?"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Sorry, **cornholio4** , I wasn't sure how to do Amanda Waller getting what she deserved since the whole purpose of the Suicide Squad was essentially to give the public a target to blame. Besides, there really isn't a way for Bruce to prove that she didn't anything stupid, unfortunately. Still thought the casting was excellent, though. Viola Davis did a great job, though I wouldn't have minded Octavia Spencer, either. She had the physical appearance to pull it off and I bet she would have been intimidating in her own right, maybe give Waller some sass to her character too. XD

To any Aquaman fans, sorry about how I portrayed him. I mean it. I just didn't like the Justice League version of him, since he kind of acted like a spoiled child and was pretty sexist, too. Again, I apologize for the last segment.

Bothers me that Dick is mad at Bruce for supposedly being a hypocrite and no one corrects him. I guess it could be excused for Bruce not bothering to give the full story.

Be sure to give prompts for what "hero" needs to addressed next.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the long absence.**

 **This is from All Star Batman and Robin, inspired by Linkara**

* * *

"We'll talk where and when _I_ say so," Batman snarled. He gave the Green Lantern idiot one last look of contempt before he turned around and fired his grappling hook. His feet left the roof, but other than that, he didn't move. There was a green aura surrounding him by the waist shaped like giant tweezers.

"No," the idiot Lantern glared at him, "Screw you, asshole! We'll talk right now or I'll drag you to the police station for kidnapping, assault, and murder!"

"Those were **scumbags**!" Batman spat, unable to hide his shock over the turn of events. He expected the idiot to leave him on his merry way and grumble how much he hated the godamn Batman, "I was doing the city a favor by wiping the **filth** off this **earth** like a **janitor**!"

"Cool motive, still murder," Green Lantern half-smirked. Batman was sure he was referencing something, but couldn't but his finger on it. The smirk left the Lantern's face and he glowered at Batman, "Where's the kid?"

"I don't know what you're -" Batman's snarky response was cut off when he found himself dangling over the ledge and his utility belt suddenly pulled off his person. Now he was just a silly man in a costume up against a man with a magic glow stick ring.

"I'm not in the mood for games, you lunatic!" Green Lantern snapped, "We can discuss with the police if you'd like. You want that?"

Batman glared at him, hoping it would remind the idiot of his place.

It didn't.

Green Lantern opened his mouth to continue and then had a face of dawning realization. He face-palmed his forehead and began to mutter that he should have done it from the beginning; whatever the hell _that_ meant. It was only when Batman felt cool air against his exposed face a moment later that he realized how utterly _screwed_ he was. Maybe he shouldn't have threatened the guy with the magic ring altogether...

"Mister Wayne," Green Lantern nodded to him curtly, "Any reason you decided to dress up as a murderous bat tonight?"

God, he was _so_ **screwed**.

* * *

It didn't take long for Green Lantern to realize shortly afterwards that the Batcave would have to be somewhere close to Wayne Manor. It took even less time to get Alfred to cooperate. Green Lantern quickly realized not long after that the sole reason Alfred Pennyworth hadn't informed the police of Richard Grayson's whereabouts was fear for the twelve year old's life. Apparently, there had been some cops who had tried to silence the kid to keep him from testifying against his parents' murderer and the poor butler didn't know who to turn to.

A media circus ensued. Richard was freed from Batman's clutches and returned to the custody of his godfather, Pop Haley. The man responsible for the murder of John and Mary Grayson, Jocko Boy - seriously, what kind of name was that?! - was quickly found before long and Richard Grayson's testimony ensured a life sentence. Bruce Wayne was deemed legally insane and his assets were frozen as consequence. He was sentenced to life in Arkham Asylum, which went through major changes in staff and funding in large help of Oliver Queen. Barbara Gordon was found by her father throwing out all Batman related memorabilia from her room and Dinah Lance was arrested for arson and murder of at least twenty patrons from _The Black Canary_ pub.

The Joker was lobotomized by Superman after the Clown Prince of Crime went on a rampage in Metropolis and the Justice League welcomed Green Arrow and Vixen into their ranks. Wonder Woman was forced to resign shortly afterwards and went back to Themyscira after her teammates deemed her a danger to herself and others. Hawkgirl took her place.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** This takes place in _All Star: Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder_. To explain further, this was written by Frank Miller from 2005-2008. Linkara from Atop the Fourth Wall sporked this on his channel, with Batman's OOC portrayal as a psychotic murderous asshole as well as other flaws. I recommend you check it out on YouTube.

The scene I wrote was taken from Issue 8 where Green Lantern is trying to get in contact with Crazy Steve - or Batman In Name Only - and instead of taking him to the police like Linkara thinks should have been in character for him, he allows Crazy Steve to decide the time and place to talk. GL's retort that I wrote was taken directly from what Linkara said should have happened. Including the part with the tweezers.

Sorry for the long absence, I think I'm going to try Wonder Woman next.


End file.
